Self-posing device with adjustable periscopic view finder



March 18, 1952 J. T. FOUFOUNIS 2,589,363

SELF-FOSING DEVICE WITH ADJUSTABLE PERIscoPIc VIEW-FINDER Filed Oct. l, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l Zaan 7650015" nufounl's AH'm-mey March 18, 1952 T. FouFouNls 2,589,363

SELF-POSING DEVICE WITH ADJUSTABLE PERISCOPIC VIEW-FINDER Filed oct. 1, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 18, 1952 FOUFOUNIS 2,589,363

J. T. SELF-POSING DEVICE WITH ADJUSTABLE PERISCOPIC VIEW-FINDER Filed Oct. l, 1947 3 Sheets-Shea?I 3 AHvwcy Patented Mar. 18, 1952 SELF-POSING DEVICE WITH ADJUSTABLE PERISCOPIC VIEW FINDER Jean Theodore Foufounis, Paris, France Application October 1, 1947, Serial No. 777,143 In France October 4, 1946 7 Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide a self-view-nder for use in photography or cinematography, said device enabling the user to photograph himself in any position relative to the camera, after having chosen the position which suits him and judged the effect produced in the view-finder.

Other objects of this invention are to provide:

A view-finder which facilitates obtaining lighttightness and dust-tightness and which permits the use of reflecting mirrors;

A view-finder whi-ch enables the user to turn beyond a side-face position and even to photograph himself from the rear, at any angle (certain women may for example wish to photograph their hair from various angles) A view-lnder which gives a real aerial image of sufficient luminosity, only by use of purely optic devices.

Said self view-finder comprises a periscopic device combined with a panoramic telescope.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are Vgiven solely by way of example and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, with parts in section, of a view-finder for self-photography according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is the optical diagram of the panoramic telescope;

Figure 3 is an elevational view, with parts in section, of a modification according to the inven- .ion, of the device shown in Figure 1.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, A designates the subject who wishes to photograph himself for example from behind, and I the camera objective whose optical axis is XX. Immediately adjacent said camera objective I and along a parallel axis AB the optical axis for the incoming rays of the self-photographing view-finder device is located. The axes XX and AB are sufciently close together for the error due to parallax to be considered as negligible.

A first mirror Ia reflects vertically said incomi the orice 8 through which the tube 6 emerges downwardly. At E a fourth mirror 9 reflects the rays along optical axis EF, inside a fourth tube IS. Said tube I0 is pivotally mounted about a horizontal pivot II passing through E, on th vertical tubeG. A fth mirror I2 refiects the rays at F and downwards along optical axis FG inside a fifth tube I3 which is pivotally mounted on the tube I0 about a pivot I4 parallelto the pivot II and passing through F. Finally, a sixth mirror I5 reflects the rays at G towards the subject A, along the optical axis GA of an eye-piece tube I which is pivotally mounted on the tube I3 about a pivot I'I parallel to the pivots I I and I4 and passing through G.

Linkage devices are provided so that whatever be the oscillations of the intermediate tube Ii) `on the tube G: on the one hand the tube I3 remains parallel to the tube 6 (FG parallel to DE) and the tube I 6 remains parallel to the tube It) (GA parallel to EF), and on the other hand the perpendiculars to the mirrors 9, I2 and I5 remain constantly directed along the bisectors of the angles DEF, EFG and FGA.

These results are obtained inthe following manner:

A link I3 is pivotally connected at I9 and 20 to the tubes 6 and I3 in such a manner that the parallel pivots I I and I form with pivotsV I9 and 23 a deformable parallelepiped, as appears from Fig. l; consequently the tube I3 remains constantly parallel to the tube G;

Similarly, a link 2| is pivoted at 22 land 23 on the tubes It and I6, in such a manner that pivots I4, I'I, 22 and 23' form another deformable parallelepiped, as-also appears from Fig. 1; the tube I6 Ytherefore definitely remains parallel to the tube I;

On the other hand, mirror 9 is pivotally mounted within tube G on the same pivot I I thatl connects tubes 6 and IB, and said mirror is'rigidly secured to an arm 24 provided with a longitudinal opening 2b in which slides the pivot 25 connecting together the two equal legs 2'I and 2S of `a shear-like devi-ce, said legs being'pivotally connected at their other ends at 29 and3 to the tubes G and i8; therefore Whatever be theanguar position of the tube lil relatively'to the tube vthe perpendicular to the mirror 9 remains coincident with the bisector of the angle DEF;

Finally the mirror I2, which is pivoted about the pivot I4, likewise carries a rigid arm 3I on which two links 33 and 34 are pivotally mounted about a pivot 32. The link 33 is pivoted at 35 on the arm 24 secured tothe mirror 9 andthe the image a"b is in its focal plane.

link 34 is pivoted at 36 on an arm 31 rigidly secured to the mirror I5. The pivots 32, 35 and 36 are arranged in such a manner that they form two deformable parallelograms with the pivots II, I4 and I'I of the mirrors 9, I2 and I5; consequently, the mirrors I2 and I5 follow the movements of the mirror 3 when the tube I3 swings relatively to the tube 6, and in such a manner that their perpendiculars remain constantly coincident with the bisectors of the angles EFG and FGA.

Under these conditions, in whatever direction the tube 6 is turned about the axis DE, the inclination of the tube I3 about the pivot Il may be varied, which makes it possible to place mirror I'I in any desired spatial position about the user and consequently for the user to assume any pose relative to the camera objective (oblique, side-face, rear, head horizontal, lowered or raised), and the system of mirrors I a, 3, 5, 9, I2, I always definitely reects the rays along the above-described series of optical axes of the view-finder towards the eyes of the user.

The periscopic device which has just been described is combined with a panoramic telescope which is intended to produce an image projected at infinity along the axis GA, of the eye-piece housed in the tube I6.

Said panoramic telescope, combined with the periscope device is preferably constructed as shown in Fig. 2.

According to this example of construction, the telescope comprises an objective formed by plano-convex lenses 38 and 39 (see Figs. 1 and 2) .Y Said objective gives a first real aerial image ab (Fig. 2) of the object ab. In the plane of the image ab' is arranged a first collecting lens 40, the function of which is to cause the rays issuing from the objective (38, 39) to converge towards another lens 4I which performs the function of a first collimating lens. Said lens 4I is so arranged that its focal plane coincides with ab and consequently with the lens 43. After having passed through this first collimating lens 4I, it is obvious that all the rays issuing from the same point of the object will follow a parallel. path. A second collimating lens is next provided on the path of the image transmitting rays. The location of lens 42 can vary according to the length that it is desired to give to the system but only within limits, since too great a distance between the lenses 4I and 42 decreases the luminosity of the final image. Lens 42 forms in its focal plane a real aerial image a"b". In the plane of this image is placed a second collecting lens 43, the function of which is to cause the rays which have formed the image a,"b" to conveiige towards the lens 44 of the eye-piece (see Figs. 1 and 2) said lens 43 is so placed that The rays which pass through the lens 44 are therefore parallel and the eyes of the observer which are located at O1 and O2 (Fig. 2) see an image which is projected at infinity; the observer has the impression of seeing said image in the actual planeof the lens 44 of the eye-piece.

In Fig. 2, a different scale has been adopted for the lenses which are all plano-convex, and for the distances which must exist between the various lenses, the eyes O1 and O2 of the observer and the object seen at ab, namely, all or a part of the observer himself. By Way of a non-limitative example, it will be assumed that m, n, p, t, u, are the successive distances from the'object ab to the lens 4 38, from the lens 38 to the lens 39, etc., said distances having the following values:

11:37 cm. 10:30 cm. q=60 cni. r=70 cm. s=60 cm. t 50 cm. 15:50 cm.

and that the focal lengths and diameters of the lenses are as follows:

Lens lgglll Diameter Cm. Cm.

Naturally, these characteristics are only given by way of example; nevertheless, they fulfil all the data of the problem, in particular:

They give the telescope an eye-piece ring of sufficient size for both eyes to be able to operate at the same time (7G nini. minimum) The location of said eye-piece ring is sufficiently remote from the last lens 44 so that, in the periscope system hereinbefore described, this eye-glass is located at about 4() cm. from the eyes, i. e. outside the eld of the camera objective I.

In Fig. l, vonly the lenses 33 and 39 of the objective and the lens 44 of the eye-piece of the telescope have been shown; it is obvious that in the optical path CDEFG of the above described periscope system the lenses 39 to 43 are interposed in such a manner that the eye-piece lens 44 is located between the outlet mirror I5 and the users eyes.

It should be noted that the tube I5 may extend more or less beyond the lens 44 and form a screen. Said tube is provide-d with an operating handle 45.

The device such as it has just been described would have a drawback: owing to the rotation, about the axis DE, of the mirror 9 which intercepts the rays reflected by the stationary mirror 5, the final image seen by the user in the eyepiece slope towards the right or towards the left, being inclined in the plane of the lens 44 at an angle equal to the angle of rotation of the tube 6 about the axis DE.

This drawback can be overcome by interposing in the optical path of the periscopic system, preferably between the two lenses 38 and 39 of the objective of the view-finder where the beam is most condensed, a rotatably mounted optical device known in the art as capable of correcting the aberration aforesaid, shown diagrammatically in the drawings as a prism 46 or equivalent device, the speed of rotation of said device being half that of the tube 6 about the axis DE. Under these conditions, the effect of the system of mirrors 5-9 is compensated and eliminated as the tube 6 rotates and the iinal image seen at 44 remains straight.

The rotational connection between the aberration-correcting optical device 43 and the tube 6 can be effected for example as shown in Fig. 1 by means of an endless cable (or belt) 41 passing toeliminate it completely by placing for'example Itheobjective I behind the mirror la, said mirror -Ibeing vso mounted that it is 'retracted at the instantwhen the shutter of the objective'is actu- "atedf reflex' system) 'The device which has'justbeen described, and which can be easily made light-prooi` along the 'optical path TBCDEFA owing to the use of tubular `e1ements, enables the person who wishes to pho- Ut'ographhimself to move the view-linder (eyepieceiA into any desired position by means of the handle' 45 and to preview his image in whatever 4directionhe is looking. When'he is satisfied with hisimage ashe sees it in the view-finder, he re- Vleasesthecamera shutter 1| by means of a Vcable Al2 "and a-knob or treadle T3 or like device with 'his foot as already known.

Onlyistrictly full-face photos cannot be viewed inthe"self-photographing view-finder, since in thatcase thel view-finder would be located in the "fleld'of' the camera objective; this drawback can 4berea'dijly'overcome by combining with theself- "photographing view-finder described one auxil- `iarystationary view-finder which, by means oran auxiliarypbjective, forms in an opening located 4'closetto the objective Va reproduction of the image seen'byf said objective. In the particular case ci the, full-face photo, the user would therefore not useithe movableA vieW-nder'and would look di- .rectly vat'the stationary view-iinder coupled to `the camera.

'It should be notedthatina telescope of the size contemplated 'according to the invention, a suitable aberration-correcting prism would be .heavy and expensive; consequently it could Aad- .vantageonsly be'repla'ced asv shown in Fig. 3 by three suitably arranged mirrors 46a, 45h and-4de: .if

'the'light ray reflected at B on kmirror la impinges .at con the' mirror `lita which isinclined atia'njangle of 30'fromthe direction Bc of the ray. The reectedraycd is lreflected at d on the vertical vmirror '4th, then at e von the mirror 46c which is also inclined at an angle' of 30 from'the direction Bc of the ray, and'comes out along the axisBc'eC. It is Yobvionsthat the optical 'path is the same'as that'produced by anaberrationcorrectingprisnrsuchY as illustrated in Fig. l and that ifthe system of mirrors flalibytc is rotated as ai .unit aboutithe axis BC, thepencils of rays'coming out at C'will rotate about their axis `over'an angleequal to `twice the rotation angle 'of'thesystenr Y LIt'Should'be noted that it is easy to give to the "operator, Yor even the user, the possibility, by Vmeans.olanindependent control, of increasing or decreasing theA angle of rotation of the erecting :or'aberration-correcting optical systemysuch as rtherprism' or 4equivalent mirrorassemblies respec- "tively describedin connection with Figs. l and 3, Vrelatively tothat ofthe tube 5 in such a manner ,as to retain fa certain'inclination of the image 'inthe view-iinder, the artistic effect of which may be appreciated by the user as he looks into the "frame of"theviewnder. If, furthermore, the action of the'operator orof any automatic recording'system records-the inclination of the image 'obtained in the view-iinder at the instant when the shutter is released, it is an easy matter, whenmaking rthe nal photographic print, to :giver'such print the same inclination and to deliverito the user a photograph which is identical .'to the inclined image he had before his eyes when he released the shutter.

These results can be obtained, as shown in Fig. 3,: by passing one of the sides of the cable 41 which connects rthe tube 6 to the case 2, by means `of pulleys 48 and 4e, respectively dependent from ysaid tube and case, over a xed pulley 5, then over a movable pulley El and the other side over a fixed pulley 52, over a movable pulley 53, and then over va fixed pulley 54. The'two movable Vreturn, pulleys 5| and 53 have their shafts 55 and 55 jzguided in V grooves-5l and 58 of a stationary `supportii and are urgedtowards the left in Fig. `Bioy-cables or other flexible connections 6U, 6I in flexible shea-the, said cables being connected to the two ends of an equalizer bar 62. Said equalizer bar is oscillatably mounted about a xed spindle E3 and is secured to a lever 64 moving in front of a dial 65. Furthermore, the equalizer bar E2 Yis connected by a cable 56 in a iieXible sheath to a pointer Bl which is movable against the action of a retracting spring 68 in front of an opening 69 behind which passes the film or the like 'lil of the camera. In Fig. 3 the pointer 367,the opening 69 and the film 70 have been projected fiat in front of the objective l for greater olearness, but, of course, they are combined with said objective.

`It will immediately be understood that by actuating the lever 6d, it is possible to shift one of the -returnpnlleys 5i and 53 towards the right and the other towards the left (in Fig. 3), thereby slowing down or accelerating the rotation of the prisrn' (Fig. l) or or" the equivalent mirrors -46,46b,143 (Fig. 3) relatively to that of the tube S and consequently enabling a more or less inclined image to be seen in the veye-piece. Simultaneously the pointer Sl' moves in front of the Y opening E8 and produces on the edge of the photographic negative `after developing, a mark the `position of which varies with the inclination of Asame inclination as that of the image seen by the isubject in .the view-finder at the instant when Yhe released the shutter.

In Fig. 3, it has been assumed that the subject wishes tophotograph himself full-face, with the'head raised, so as to show a second position ofthe periscope device, but ofcourse, the device enables the subject to assume any desired position.

YThis invention is in `no way limited to the embodimentsillustrated and described which have only been chosen by way of example.

'Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination with a camera, a' self-posing device comprising a finder the optical axis of Ywhich is close yto and parallel with the optical 'axis of the camera, a rotatable periscopio structure` having a vertical axis of rotation intersecting the optical or" said camera, an eye-piece suspended from said rotatable periscopic structurev and having its optical axis intersecting said vertical axis substantially at the point of intersection of said vertical axis with the optical axis ofrsaidV camera; xed reflecting surfaces directing the light rays from said finder to said Vertical axis; movable light reflecting surfaces carried by and bodily rotatable with said periscopic structure, said movable reflecting surfaces transmitting through said periscopic structure the light rays from said vertical aXis into said eyepiece in all angular positions of said periscopic structure; light refracting means disposed in the path of the light rays and forming with said finder and said eye-piece a panoramic telescope; rotatable auxiliary image erecting optical means inserted in the path of the light rays through said xed reiiecting surfaces; means for rotating said rotatable auxiliary optical means in response to a rotation of said rotatable periscopic structure and to cause said rotatable auxiliary optical means to correct at least partially the inclination of the image given by said panoramic telescope; and control means for altering the rotation of said auxiliary optical means relatively to said periscopic structure so as to retain an inclination of the image given by the self-posing device,

2. In combination with a camera, a self-posing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pointer movable in an opening of the camera and means for connecting said pointer to said control means so as to obtain on the photographic negative a mark whose position is Variable proportionally to the inclination given to the image in the self-posing device.

3. In combination with a camera, a self-posing device comprising a first tubular element located close to said camera and disposed substantially at right angle to the optical axis of said camera; a iirst stationary mirror disposed between one end of said first tubular element and said camera and adapted to reflect into said first tubular element light rays from a subject posing before said camera; a second stationary tubular element substantially parallel with the optical axis of said camera and intersecting said first tubular element at the other end thereof; a second stationary mirror disposed at the junction of said first and second tubular elements and adapted to reect the light rays from said rst tubular element into said second tubular element; a third rotary tubular element intersecting at one of its ends said second tubular element and having its axis of rotation intersecting and substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of said camera; a third stationary mirror located at the junction of said second stationary and third rotary tubular elements and adapted to reflect the light rays from said second tubular element into said third tubular element substantially along the axis thereof; a fourth oscillating tubular element having one end pivotally mounted on the other end of said third tubular element about a pivoting axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said third element; a fifth oscillating tubular element having one end pivotally mounted on the other end of said fourth element and a sixth oscillating tubular element having one end pivotally mounted on the other end of said fifth element about pivoting axes perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the third element; three oscillating reflecting mirrors respectively located at said three pivoting axes of said fourth, fifth and sixth oscillating tubular elements; connecting means between said third rotary element and said fourth, fifth and sixth oscillating elements and so disposed and arranged that, during the oscillations of said fourth oscillating element about its said pivoting axis, said third and fifth elements remain parallelrto each other and said fourth and sixth elements remain parallel to each other; connecting means between said three oscillating reflecting mirrors and disposed and arranged to maintain the surface of each of said mirrors perpendicular to the bisector of the angle formed by the longitudinal axes of any two of said third, fourth, nfth and sixth tubular elements which are adjacent whereby said mirrors reflect the light rays from the axis of rotation of the third element successively substantially along the longitudinal axes of said oscillating elements, and refracting means inserted in the path of the light rays along said tubular elements and forming a panoramic telescope.

4. In combination with a camera, a self-posing device comprising a finder the optical axis of which is close to and parallel with the optical axis of said camera; a rotatable periscopic structure having a vertical axis of rotation intersecting theoptical axis of said camera; an eye-piece suspended from said rotatable periscopic structure and having its optical axis intersecting said vertical axis substantially at the point of intersection thereof with the optical axis of said camera; fixed reflecting surfaces directing the light rays from said nnder to said vertical axis; movable light reiieeting surfaces carried by and bodily rotatable with said periscopic structure, said movable reflecting surfaces transmitting through said periscopic structure the light rays from said vertical axis into said eye-piece in all angular positions of said periscopic structure; light refracting means disposed in the path of the light rays and forming with said finder and said eyepiece a panoramic telescope; a rotatable auxiliary image-erecting structure in the path of the light rays through saidY fixed reflecting surfaces; a light reflecting, image erecting unit comprising three mirrors and carried in said rotatable auxiliary structure; two pulleys carried respectively by said auxiliary rotatable structure and rotatable periscopic structure; an endless member connecting said pulleys, said auxiliary rotatable structure and rotatable periscopic structure, said endless member being disposed to rotate said auxiliary structure in response to the rotation of said periscopic structure whereby said unit comprising said three mirrors erects the image given by said panoramic telescope; two movable return pulleys disposed on two strands of said endless member; and a control member for shifting said return pulleys in opposite directions to alter the ratio of angular rotation between said periscopic and auxiliary structures.

5. In combination with a camera, a self-posing device comprising a nder the optical axis of which is close to and parallel with the optical axis of the camera; a rotatable periscopic structure having a vertical axis of rotation intersecting the optical axis of said camera; an eye-piece suspended from said rotatable periscopic structure and having its optical axis intersecting said vertical axis substantially at the point of intersection of said vertical axis with the optical axis of said camera; fixed reflecting surfaces directing the light rays from said iinder to said vertical axis; movable light reecting surfaces carried by and bodily rotatable with said periscopic structure, said movable surfaces transmitting through said periscopic structure the light rays from said vertical axis into said eye-piece in all angular positions of said periscopic structure; refracting means inserted in the path of the light rays and forming with said nder and said f eye-piece a panoramic telescope; a rotatable auxiliary structure on the path of the light rays through said xed reflecting surfaces; .two pulleys carried respectively by said auxiliary rotatable structure and rotatable periscopic structure; an endless member for connecting said pul- ,adjacent said pivot connections; and means connecting said tubular sections with said movable leys; and a light reflecting unit comprising three mirrors carried in said rotatable auxiliary structure and adapted to erect the image formed in said eye-piece at all angular positions of said periscopic structure.

6. In combination with a camera, a self-posing -device comprising: a nder, the optical axis of which is close to and parallel with the optical axis of said camera; a rotary deformable periscopic structure including adjacent tubular sections consisting of a vertical swivel section, an

intermediate section, a connecting section and a terminal section; parallel pivot connections in and between each of said sections and the adjacent section; a rst linking means pivotally supported at its ends on said swivel section and connecting section respectively by one of said vpivot connections and on said intermediate section by two said parallel pivot connections, thereby forming a rst deformable parallelepiped; a second linking'means pivotally supported at its ends on said intermediate section and terminal section respectively by one of said pivot connections and on said connecting section by two said parallel pivot connections, thereby forming a second deformable parallelepiped; wherebyy said connecting section remains parallel to said swivel section, and said terminal section with said intermediate section; said terminal section having its geometrical axis passing substantially through the users eyes in all positions of said periscopic structure; an Aeye-piece located in said terminal section coaxially therewith; optical reflecting means disposed between said nder and said eye-piece and directing the light from the finder to said eye-piece; said reflecting means embodying xed reflecting means and movable reflecting means within said periscopic structure reecting means to constantly orient the latter at right angles with the bisectors of the angles formed by adjacent sections respectively.

7. In a combination as claimed in claim 6, rotatable image erecting optical means disposed on `the path of the light rays between said finder and said eye-piece; movable endless connecting `means engaging said image erecting means and Vsaid swivel section, and adapted to rotate said -image erecting means in response to the angle fof rotation of said swivel section; a pointer movable in an opening of said camera and disposed to register its position on the lm in said camera;

' movable control means on said endless connecting means, and adapted to cause variations of the angle of rotation of said swivel section relaf tive to the angle of rotation of said image erect- -ing means in response to the inclination of the image in said self-posing device; and connections between said control means and said pointer,

Y whereby said pointer moves in said opening in response to said variations proportionately to said inclination` J E'AN THEODORE FOUFOUNIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

